Theory of Relativity


Thesis Statement:


Albert Einstein's theory of relativity has impacted society in several different ways such as nuclear energy production, the creation of GPS, and has even influence how we make our decisions.
einstein
einstein

Albert Einstein via scienceinsociety.com

Background Information:

The Theory of Relativity is based on the principle that all motion is relative to other objects in motion. Objects move in respect to one another. The point of this theory was to try to identify the flaws between the laws of relativity and the law of gravity. Albert Einstein disagreed with Newton's Laws because he said that all forces are due to changes in acceleration. Albert Einstein made two different "groups" of Theory of Relativity, special and general relativity. General Relativity describes gravity in relation to certain physics concepts. It combines Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation with theories discovered by Einstein. The other part of the Theory of Relativity is Special Relativity. Special Relativity was developed to demonstrate the impact of inertial frames of reference on motion. This aspect of the Theory shows that physical law portrays itself in the same form for every inertial frame. The Theory of Relativity is a very abstract idea that came to be by a brilliant man, it continues to be looked at even today.


Nuclear Power:

Nuclear energy has helped alleviate a portion of our reliance on non-renewable resources for our energy needs. And as those needs increase and our resources are depleted, we will be continually drawn towards the promises nuclear energy has already fulfilled for other parts of the world that have more readily accepted it as a major energy supplier. It is also difficult to imagine the military and combat today without conjuring images of nuclear warheads and nuclear-powered submarines. (Arora)
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imagesCA6LXUF2.jpg

Einstein's famous equation via knowledge2008.com

GPS:

These technologies rely on relativity through GPS. However, GPS enables not only the Department of Defense, but also the commuter who has just taken a wrong turn and the couple searching for a place to eat or stop for the night. (Arora)
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GPS via www.gpsgazette.com
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GPS satillite via www.howstuffoworks.com

GPS via gpsgazette.com GPS satillite via www.howstuffoworks.com

Right from Wrong:

Einstein’s theories of relativity have not only affected our daily lives in such basic ways as how we heat our homes, reach our destinations, and measure our days. His theories of relativity were used by philosophers, politicians, and activists to turn moral philosophy upside-down. Prior to relativity, philosophers such as Aristotle, Kant, and Mill argued that there was an absolute truth and an absolute way of approaching various aspects of life. For example, a businessman who comes across a child drowning in a pond is obligated to save the child’s life. However, now armed with relativity, facts are no longer absolute, but instead dependent upon your viewpoint, your own "philosophical" inertial reference frame. Right and wrong now vary from person-to-person, an idea which was so readily accepted because that now meant that each one of our viewpoints could be considered valid, as there was no absolute truth to be had. (Arora)



Conclusion:

Einstein's Theory of Relativity is a complex one that has affected our society dramatically. We have become the world's most powerful with the help of nuclear power, have come up with many inventions from the use of GPS, and has altered our thinking as a whole. In the future I see the world coming up with even more inventions from the basis of his theory.




Bibleography:


MLA citation:
Arora, Hans. "Einstein's Theory of Relativity: Implications Beyond Science?" Science in Society. Northwestern University. 27 Jan. 2009 http://scienceinsociety.northwestern.edu/content/articles/2008/research-digest/student-papers/einstein/einstein2019s-theory-of-relativity-implications-beyond-science>.
Annotation:
This page is a valid website because it is made by a very prestigious school, Northwestern University. It's useful in understanding Albert Einstein as person as well as the scientist. The website addresses the uses of the Global Positioning Satellite and its association with the Theory of Relativity. The GPS is made easier to understand because of the theories Einstein produced.


MLA citation:
O'Connor, J.J. "General Relativity". Mathematics/Physics Index. Saint Andrews, Scotland. 1996. <http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/HistTopics/General_relativity.html>.
Annotation:
This web pages purpose is to inform students and the general public about the theory of relativity. It goes into good detail about the topic and is very informing. It is very useful and still is even though it was written in 1996 by JJ O'Connor, a graduate from the school of mathematics and statistics, university of Saint Andrews, Scotland.